


sky blood red (why are you bleeding?)

by Molotov_Man



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Injury, its multiple chapters of Tenten going through hell and Neji holding her through it gn, protective!neji, shut the fuck up chandu maybe I do want to be held
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28947693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Molotov_Man/pseuds/Molotov_Man
Summary: Tenten was gone. That was the indisputable truth. Somewhat less indisputable was why Neji was suddenly acting so brashly, but to those who knew him closely the answer was never so clear.
Relationships: Hyuuga Neji/Tenten
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	1. hell’s circles

**Author's Note:**

> I’m projecting again just sit down and read it

It’d been three nights since the torture started.

Abducted just after sundown by a team of rogues, Tenten thought for sure she’d be dead. Soon enough, she could only wish she was.

The beating was simple.

She was used to hits and blows, having more than her fair share of bruises. Even the knife barely phased her, though it was repeatedly held to her neck and slashed down her body. After a time it was left lodged in her shoulder, soaking her shirt in blood. She could take that. She had before.

It was the little things that started digging in after a while.

“It’s a shame you’re so scarred up, you’d almost be palatable,” Akari sneered.

Kenta dragged a new knife over the old, faded scars on her wrist. “Shame, really. Unlovable.”

She wasn’t allowed to eat or sleep, and the words replayed constantly in her mind. They made her want to vomit. As tough as she was, she could only bear so much—her own human weakness annoyed her and yet she couldn’t dispose of it.

“Who’s that little boyfriend of yours, hmm?”

She didn’t and couldn’t tell them he wasn’t her boyfriend — her mouth was full of blood.

“Hyuuga, right? What’s he use you for, sex? You might be alright at that, come to think of it. Doesn’t really matter. He’ll always hate you for being a clanless bitch.”

She spat in his face and he recoiled, scoffing bitterly.

“Someone needs to teach you some manners.” His punch knocked her clean out, but she was brought back quickly for another round of knife play.

Her blood pooled on the cold stone floor, her skin and clothes shredded.

On the second day, she was whipped. She lost hope thereafter.

Exhausted and shaky and alone despite her tormentors, she sagged against the ropes holding her up. What was the point, after all? She’d taken the mission knowing the risks of rogue-filled territory, and no one would come for her now that the worst had happened. It was better that way. You may as well have one casualty as opposed to an entire team.

She wondered vaguely if Lee and Neji would miss her. Then she shunned herself for the thought; as if Neji could ever miss her. He hated her, she was sure of it.

She couldn’t cry. She stared blankly at the ground.

“Hey, little girl, why so sad? Such a shame you can’t cut the pain away anymore. Here, I’ll help you.”

He made twin deep slashes on the backside of her wrists and watched the blood drip over her fingers.

“Maybe you’d be prettier if you had a little color in your face, hmm?” He pressed the blade against her cheekbone and let it slide deep.

Tenten found herself remembering Kakashi. Maybe she’d come out of this like him, she thought, but instead of a sharingan she’d have one eye blind, or perhaps even two. Maybe she’d be more like Shikaku, with his facial scars. Not that it was of any consequence, because she’d never see either of them again. Kakashi would think she was terrible too. A failure.

•••

Neji wrapped his curse mark with black cloth, forgoing his hitai-ate. He was aware that his actions would amount to defection against Konoha. He might never wear the headband again.

Usually his every action was calculated. This, he didn’t even give a second thought.

Tenten had never made it to the Sun village, who sent word when their assistance was two days late in arriving. And Neji was going after her if it killed him.

“Hokage-sama,” he said, entering her office without preamble.

Team 8 was standing in front of her desk, and all eyes turned to him.

“I am going to find Tenten.”

“You’re staying in this village, Hyuuga. Go back to your compound,” Tsunade commanded, disinterested.

“It wasn’t a question. I’m going with or without help, and with or without your blessing. I was merely informing you.” Face as hard as steel, he turned to leave.

“You really love her, don’t you?”

Neji froze, not quite looking back.

“I was just about to send Team 8 on a retrieval mission. You may as well go with them so you don’t get yourself killed.”

He gave a curt nod.

In the open air, walking east, Hinata fell into line beside him.

“Nii-san,”

“Yes?” His gaze was fixed resolutely on the darkness cresting the horizon.

“You were going to leave the village.”

He nodded once, sharply. “I will never give up on Tenten.”

“Neji. You were going to desert Konoha.” Hinata’s voice was stronger than it’d been in a long time.

Neji’s face twitched. “What do you know of that?”

“You aren’t wearing your headband. You never take it off.”

“Hinata. Just as I would die for you, I would die for her.”

Hinata grabbed his arm, stopping him. “Neji. Look at me.”

He swallowed harshly and turned to her.

“What can I do to help you? Do you need to lead this mission?”

“No.” His jaw was tensed, his teeth gritted, his eyes unfocused but still razor sharp. “Today, I am not a shinobi. A shinobi follows orders and does not feel. But for Tenten? I give that up. I can’t lead. You’re a fine ninja, Hinata. I trust you. At any extent, I need your team’s tracking capabilities or I’ll never find her in time.”

Her eyes searched his, her brow creased. “Let’s go, then.”

Neji forced them through the trees at a breakneck pace, flinging himself through the branches with desperation, running from his pain for hours as the others could barely keep up. Kiba stopped abruptly, Akamaru alerting him to a development.

“Hold!”

The other three hid themselves in the trees while Kiba sniffed the air suspiciously.

“There’s an encampment near here. A fire,”

“There shouldn’t be anyone out this far.” Shino dropped to the forest floor. “We need to check them. They could be holding Tenten.”

Neji grabbed Hinata’s wrist before she could jump down. “Hinata, I’m going to kill them.”

She drew a slow breath. “I know, Neji. I know I can’t ask you not to. Just...remember that you’re here for her. You know your priorities.”

She dropped down silently.


	2. heart rediscovered

The encampment was filled with unassuming commoners and their tents, a roving group of hunter-gatherers. They greeted the shinobi amicably, and seemed earnest when they said they hadn’t seen another of their kind. In fact, Neji could see it in their chakras. He could also see that they were afraid.

They were nomadic; why was there a permanent stone structure in the center of their camp? Neji slipped off towards it.

It was old, and the walls were packed with moss. The wet smell pervaded every corner, and the structure dipped slightly below ground after the entryway. The stone got thicker, and there was an out-of-place steel door — a bunker.

He pushed it open and was met with the chakra signatures of three people. One of them was unmistakably Tenten. It was more of a low hum, a dimmed light than her usual sharp and clear aura. It made Neji angry.

The deaths of her captors were the fastest and most brutal of his career, and he was sure that they would remain that way. Never before had he felt such hot, consuming rage as when his eyes fell on the blood soaked knife in the man’s fist. They dropped like flies under Neji’s palms.

He cut Tenten, limp and unresponsive, from her ropes; Neji caught her before she hit the ground, only to be violently shoved off. Her back collided with the wall and she slid down again, arms covering her face.

“N-no, please, don’t touch me.” Her body shook powerfully.

Neji gaped at her. “Hey, hey, I won’t hurt you,” he said softly, reaching one hand out.

Hinata appeared at the doorway, seeing Tenten cowering in front of him. “Neji—“

Tenten’s wild eyes shot up to meet his. “Neji?”

He nodded, anxious for her to recognize him. “Yeah, Tenten, it’s me.”

She stared into his eyes for a long moment, then lurched forward, coughing blood onto the wet floor. It was then that Neji noticed the moss wasn’t the only contributor to the dampness; there was a sickly red liquid, half dried between the stones.

“Hey, okay, come here, it’s alright.” He touched her uninjured shoulder tentatively and she flinched away, still shaking in fear and exhaustion.

Neji stared back, willing her to understand.

“It’s just me, Tenten. I won’t hurt you, I promise. I’ve got you and you’re safe now. You need to let me fix you up, okay?”

Hinata watched her cousin be the softest he ever had and wondered at the sorts of miracles love could make.

When Neji touched her again, she threw herself into his arms and hugged him much too tightly for the state she was in.

“Easy, Ten, relax, you’re going to hurt yourself,” he pulled back a little, only to hear Tenten’s broken whine. “It’s okay, I promise. I’m here now. I’m gonna ease your pain.”

He motioned Hinata in slowly, tracing the ridges of Tenten’s spine with his fingertips.

“Tell you what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna have you take a painkiller and then we’re going to get this knife out of your shoulder and get you bandaged up. Nice and easy, okay?”

“Neji,” was her only response; her speech was weighed down by the various psychoactive drugs that had been injected by her captors.

“Yes, Ten?”

“Please, t-tell me you don’t hate me,” she beseeched.

Neji’s eyes watered against his will, now fully taking in how bloody and torn she’d been made, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “I could never hate you, Ten. I love you. Nothing is going to change that, especially not anything they told you.”

He eased her back, staying close until she was lying flat against a dry patch of stone. He placed her head in his lap, his legs on either side of her shoulders.

“Hinata, bring the supplies.”

She brought a small bag full of bandages and clothes, among other things.

His voice was immeasurably softer when he spoke to Tenten. “Relax. I’m going to give you water and have you take a pill, then we’ll get you cleaned up.”

She took the water gratefully, though the blood taste lingered constantly on her tongue, and the pill went down easily. The knife was a little harder to remove, but simple enough for the ninja who were at best novice healers.

Hinata refrained from touching her, noting her disoriented state. “Neji, we need to get her shirt off so we can bandage what we need to. Preferably before Kiba and Shino run out of ways to stall,”

Neji pulled her up a little so she was resting against his chest. “You help her.”

“You need to. It has to be someone she trusts beyond consciousness, because that’s where she’s at right now. She’ll panic if anyone else lays hands on her.”

Neji dutifully pulled the clasp of her shirt apart, and leaned her forward so he could slide it off her shoulders. The bandages around her chest were bloodied and ruined, so he peeled them off as well, doing his damnedest not to look. Hinata cleaned some of the blood off with a rag before hastily redoing the wrappings, followed by the stab wound.

Her arms and torso were covered in cuts and bruises.

“Most of the bleeding has stopped,” Hinata said wearily. “Her wrists...”

Neji recognized the placement of her wounds; they were right where the old scars had been, the ones that served as a permanent reminder of the pain and self-hatred she had endured in her youth. Neji growled. Tenten half-whimpered in response and turned her face into his stomach, her eyes closed.

He stroked her hair back from her forehead. “Shh, it’s okay. You’re okay, love. You must be so tired, beloved.”

She reached blindly for his hand and gripped it as tightly as she could. “Want you here,”

“I’m here. I’m right here. Can I touch your wrists, my love?” He knew she was sensitive about them, about other people seeing the scars too closely. Of course, they weren’t really scars now, just open wounds. Ironically, the evidence of pain had been erased by another layer of it.

“Safe with you?”

“Of course,” he wrapped her wrists slowly, then pressed a kiss to her palm.

Hinata handed him one of her shirts, and stood to go back outside. “You should take her to stay in one of the nomad’s huts for the rest of tonight. She shouldn’t stay down here, and she’s too delirious to go all the way back. Can you carry her?”

“I can.” His chakra throbbed at the thought of anyone else touching her in this state, and Hinata watched with understanding.

“I’ll tell the others about everything. Just try to get her to rest.”

He took Hinata in, seeing the full glory of the leader’s role that she bore so well. “When did you get so grown up?”

“Maybe it was from watching you.” She smiled gently and left.

“Neji?”

“Tenten?”

“Hold me? Hurts.”

Neji cradled her in his arms, his hands resting lightly where the injuries were more sparse. Tenten closed her eyes as she breathed out, some of her muscles finally relaxing after three days of stress.

“Do you know what they gave you, love?”

She immediately tensed again and tried to push away from him, but he placed his hands gently on her waist.

“Don’t go; I’m sorry. I just want to help you, okay? It’s just me now.”

“I don’t feel good,” she rasped, curling back into him as best as she could.

“I know, sweetheart.” He rubbed her back soothingly, avoiding the tender lash marks. “I know. I’m going to help you. Can I carry you out of here?”

Her hand fisted in his shirt, trembling with the effort of it. “Can I sleep, then?”

“Of course you can.” Neji felt his gut burning with the desire to protect the soldier in his lap. “When was the last time you slept?”

“Before I left.”

 _Kami._ “You can rest now. You need to heal.”

“Stay.”

“I will. I promise.” He picked her up gently, allowing her to adjust to the development and shift so there was less pressure on her shoulder.

Team 8 was attempting to explain the proceedings to the tribe leader, but when the man caught sight of Neji carrying Tenten he became decidedly uninterested and rushed over before someone could stop him.

Neji stiffened and practically snarled. “Take one step closer and I’ll drop you like I did the men in that bunker.”

He blanched and froze.

Hinata approached cautiously to stand between them, wary of entering Neji’s personal space. “Sir, we would appreciate it if you could provide a place for our friend to rest. She’s very injured.”

He threw a glance at Neji’s hardened face and nodded. “Right this way.”


	3. a minute of your hand in mine is worth one hundred seconds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten’s condition worsens

“I know you’re cold, beloved, I’ll be right there.” Neji pressed his palm to her cheek and she leaned into it from her place on the cot.

“Come back,” she said, looking simultaneously paler and more flushed.

He spread a blanket over her which she clutched at gratefully. “I’m here.”

She whined and reached out for him, her breaths coming in short gasps, and Neji met her halfway with his hand.

“You’re exhausted, love. It’s time to sleep. You’re safe with me.”

Using his hand as a bearing, she pulled him closer and slid her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. Neji carded his fingers through her loose hair.

“Lay back down, Ten. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“Want you,” she tugged plaintively on his shirt, trying to pull him down with her.

"Are you still cold?"

"Stay."

Seeing that she was nearly asleep, Neji slid onto the cot and pulled her into his lap. "Sleep now?"

She was already out.

Neji continued to stroke her. "You've got me worried, Tenten."

He sighed and dropped a kiss on her head.

When he woke again, he was on his side, with Tenten thrashing about in front of him. He propped himself up on his elbow and touched her arm, only to be met with a yelp and a shove; Tenten rolled off the cot and pushed herself towards the door, hands in a discombobulated fighting stance.

Hinata pushed the door flap open and Tenten startled again, moving towards one of the walls with dilated pupils.

Neji held a hand out to stop Hinata from moving and slid off the cot, crouching a short distance from Tenten. “It was just a dream, Ten. Come here,”

Her breathing stabilized somewhat and her eyes focused. “Neji?”

“It’s me. I’m here. What do you want?”

She glanced around him and noted the visitor in the doorway. “Hinata?”

“Hey,” she replied with a sad smile. “Are you alright?”

Tenten looked back and forth between them, lucidity coming and going. Neji answered for her: “She had a nightmare. She’s feverish and exhausted and the drugs aren’t wearing off, or she’s withdrawing. We really need to get her back as soon as we can.”

“She’ll be okay, Neji. She’s a fighter in the truest sense.” Hinata squinted at her. “Has she said any more?”

He seethed quietly. “She wouldn’t sleep if I wasn’t holding her.”

Hinata’s gaze turned back to him in sympathy, and maybe surprise. “Do you think you can get her to go back to sleep?”

“Yes.” His demeanor switched again when he spoke to her. “Hey, Ten, come on. Do you want to lay down?”

“Wanna go home,” she mumbled.

Neji’s chest clenched around his breaking heart. “I know, Tenten. We can go home once you go to sleep, hmm? Then you can rest in Konoha, where it’s warm and safe.”

She started to lower her guard, rubbing one tired eye with a fist. “You’re warm.”

“Hug?”

Tenten nodded and stretched her arms out, letting Neji notch against her like a puzzle piece. She relaxed into him as she came down from the adrenaline high.

Neji met Hinata’s eyes pleadingly, unsure of what he should do. It wasn’t exactly proper of him to keep holding her while they slept, but what choice did he have when she wouldn’t sleep otherwise? Not that he was sure he could sleep without her either.

Hinata smiled gently, twisting her fingers together in front of her. “Keep her safe,”

“I’m not letting anyone hurt her again for a long while.”

Tenten pushed off of him with sudden force, stumbling outside of the tent to the edge of the forest and promptly retching. Neji leapt after her and held her hair, rubbing her back in sympathy.

“Shh, it’s okay.”

Tenten was shaking again by the end of it, the effort further exhausting her. Neji pulled her against him in the grass so she would lean on him.

“Hinata, we need to go. It’s only getting worse.” His voice was cold and steely but his eyes betrayed his worry.

Hinata nodded. “Take Akamaru. You’ll get there faster. The rest of us will follow, don’t wait up.”

Hinata dashed off to retrieve the dog and Tenten clutched weakly at his shirt.

“Neji?”

“Yes, love?”

“Hurts.”

“I know. We’re going home, okay?”

Tenten hummed and clambered into his lap, knees on either side of his hips, and wrapped her arms around him. He held her back on instinct alone.

“Can you hang in there for a bit?”

She nodded into his neck.

“You’re too warm,” he added softly.

She made a short, displeased noise. His voice was like honey and she didn’t like to hear it stressed.

“Sorry, love.”

This assuaged her fears; like a balm over a wound, it gave her hope that she was not, in fact, unlovable, and that she could heal. Her conscious mind wasn’t quite aware enough to process that, but her subconscious was sure that Neji was akin to safety.

Akamaru bounded towards them, slowing to an abrupt halt when he saw Tenten’s state and Neji keeping guard over her. Kiba trailed after.

“Oh. It’s worse than I thought.”

Neji tried to glare at him, but could hardly muster anger outside of his worry for Tenten.

“Akamaru will take you, no problem.”

Neji scooped her up and came closer, but Akamaru gave him a wide berth.

“Well, what the hell’s wrong with him?” He growled.

“Chill out, man, he sees you’re bonded. You’re protecting her, he doesn’t want to get in the way.”

“Bonded? Never mind, just make him come.”

This time, Akamaru accepted them onto his back and stood poised at the ready. Hinata ran up to them with the supply bag, her palm outstretched.

“Make her swallow these. A painkiller and a food pill, for strength.”

“Thank you, Hinata. For everything.” He took the pills and, placing them in her mouth, gingerly leaned Tenten’s head back, rubbing her throat until she swallowed them.

“Go.”

He nodded and they were off, Tenten’s limp body secured against his front.


	4. sick sick symphony (I can hear your heart)

“Oh, god,” was all Sakura could manage when Neji carried the unconscious Tenten into the hospital room.

Tsunade was more put together, but no less shaken. “Set her down, we need to move fast.”

Neji was ushered out of the room.

The next hours passed in a blur for him. He dully registered Gai and Lee comforting him in the waiting room, both distraught about their teammate. It felt like they were yelling at him across a valley. His brain couldn’t process the echoes.

When Sakura rushed into the room, her shirt stained with blood, Neji noticed that a cup of water had been placed in his hand.

“Neji, she woke up. We need you.”

He might’ve thrown the cup, or simply dropped it, or slammed it onto the nearby table. All he knew was that he was running for Tenten’s room and it was gone.

He slid to a stop in front of her open door, taking in the nurse standing off towards the side with a syringe; her posture was rigid and wary. Various instruments had been spilled across the floor, a small metal table upturned, and Tenten was crouched in the corner of the room, a scalpel in her tightly clenched fist.

Her eyes were feral.

Neji scanned the room again. “She doesn’t like the syringe. She hates needles. Put it down.”

Tenten’s face twitched as the nurse lowered the offending tool to the counter. Neji took a cautious step forward.

“Hey, Tenten,”

Her wrists were bleeding again, undoubtedly pulled open in her struggle.

“It’s Neji,” he said gently, one hand extended toward her as he inched closer. “It’s just me. Nothing’s happening.”

“I’ll kill you.”

It didn’t sound like a threat. It sounded like the last resort of a trapped animal, her unsteady and raspy voice betraying only fear.

“Do you want to kill me?” Neji asked.

She faltered. She couldn’t even recognize him, of course she didn’t want to kill. She felt like a wounded deer, straggling away from a hunter she could no longer see.

“I’m here, Ten. There’s nothing to worry about, hmm? You’re safe now.”

Neji stopped just a pace from her, out of reach should she stab the scalpel forward but very much in danger if her nigh perfect aim should be used. Neji knew better than anyone that she could hold her own in hand to hand combat anyway; this made his position especially precarious. He sat down with his legs crossed.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Safe,” she said, at once mesmerized by his face.

“Yes. I’ll keep you safe.”

She blinked. “Neji,”

Neji smiled gently. “That’s right. Can I have the scalpel?”

She twitched and drew it closer to herself, shutting down again.

“Hey, hey, okay, you can keep it. I won’t take it from you. Are you going to hurt me?”

She shook her head fervently, still dazed and confused but looking affronted at the suggestion that she would hurt her Neji.

“Thank you. Can you touch my hand?”

She brushed her fingers against his slowly, her eyes not leaving his.

“Good. Why’re you scared, Ten?”

“Feel...hazy.”

Neji trailed his fingers over the bandages on her forearm. “You’ve been drugged, and you’re very tired. They’re trying to give you medicine to help. Do you want to take the medicine?”

Tenten grabbed his wrist and pulled herself closer, nodding. “Stay with me.”

“Of course, baby,” he murmured quietly, guiding her between his legs so her back was pressed against his front. “There’s a needle, okay? It’ll only hurt for a second, and I’m right here to protect you.”

“Promise?”

“I swear on my life.”

Tenten didn’t object when the nurse rolled her tender arm over and inserted the needle. Neji rubbed her shoulder mindlessly.

“There, not so bad, hmm? Wanna come back to bed?”

She turned her face into his chest and shut her eyes. “Nnhh.”

Sakura remained fixed behind them. “That’s all we needed to do for now. She needs extensive rest if you can convince her to have it, and she’ll have the next round of treatment in a couple hours. I’d give her a sedative, but it could negatively react to the unknown drugs, and one shot was a stretch as you know.”

Neji nodded, careful not to stir Tenten. Sakura slipped outside and shut the door softly. 

“Tenten,”

“Mm,”

“Why don’t you want to go to bed?”

She gave another noncommittal grunt and held Neji’s arm against herself.

“Do you think I’ll leave?”

She stiffened and he knew he’d hit the mark.

“I won’t. I’m not going anywhere. I’m here to help you heal.”

“I don’t want you to leave,” she whispered, throat hoarse, “but I can’t ask you to stay.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not good enough for you.”

Neji’s stomach turned when he heard the words. Instantly, his grip around her tightened. “That’s not true. Not at all. God, Tenten, what did they tell you?”

She released a shaky breath and grasped weakly at his hand. He saw blood bead on her lip from from being bitten and softened.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.” He brushed his thumb over lip, wiping the blood away and encouraging her jaw to relax. “You’re good enough, Tenten. You’re already better than me; you’re good enough for anyone.”

She made a muffled noise in her throat.

“You can cry, love. You’ve already been through too much, there’s no need to hide anything from me. I love you no matter what.” He put his hand on her head, gently pressing her to his chest where she could cry herself out and still be achingly safe.

She didn’t cry, which was to be expected. She rarely ever did. Neji had never seen it. But her wounds ached fiercely and it felt like the air in her lungs was dissolving instead of being absorbed.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ve got you.” He held her closer, discontent with any space between them. If Neji was going to hold her, goddamned if he wasn’t going to do it right.

“Easy, easy baby. Deep breath.” The words slipped from his mouth almost of their own accord.

She tried to calm herself down to no avail, overwhelmed by being held for the first time since she was very, very young.

“Shh,” Neji brushed his thumb across her temple. “Focus on me. You’re never going back there and you’re in my arms.”

“O-okay. I’m sorry.”

“Hush now. Nothing to be sorry for.”

She nodded mutely.

Neji stroked her hair once more. “You need to sleep, beloved.”

A tear fell reflexively and she pressed a fist against her eye, turning her head from him. Neji cupped her jaw and nudged her hand away, tenderly wiping the tear with his palm.

“You deserve for me to be with you, if that’s what you want. Do you want me to stay while you sleep?”

She nodded quickly, chewing on the inside of her mouth.

“Alright. Let me help you up, okay?”

She begrudgingly allowed him to help her stumble to her feet and into the bed. Neji settled next to her, his arms open and inviting, and Tenten wrapped around him.

“Listen, Ten: you’re okay now. Nobody is going to touch you while I’m here, hmm? I’ll protect you.”

She rubbed her cheek against his chest, humming contentedly. “Shut the fuck up.”


End file.
